


Impossible Decisions

by ephemeralstark



Series: Whumptober 2020 [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Emotional Hurt, Gen, Hurt Peter Parker, Impossible situations, Minor Character Death, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Protective Tony Stark, Whump, Whumptober, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:20:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26782039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ephemeralstark/pseuds/ephemeralstark
Summary: “Karen, I- what do I do?” he asked quickly, his brief hesitation feeling like a lifetime.“I don't know,” she said.“Well that’s useless!” he couldn’t help but snap as he frantically looked between the two of them and realised that it was all on him, at that moment it was up to him to choose who lived and who died.-Peter has to make an impossible decision.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Whumptober 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949887
Comments: 4
Kudos: 94





	Impossible Decisions

**Author's Note:**

> Whumptober day 2: prompt - pick who dies

“Look,” Peter muttered as he jumped onto the side of the building and crawled upwards, his sandwich tucked under his arm as he moved, “I get where you’re coming from, really I do, but changing at home would waste so much time.” 

_ “It would only add about fifteen minutes,”  _ Karen corrected him,  _ “and it would solve the issue of you constantly losing your backpack. You designed the web fluid, you know that it dissolves in an hour, so why would you use it to secure something as important as your school bag?”  _

“Yeah, but…” Peter floundered for a moment, desperately trying to pull together some semblance of logic, “if I change at home, then people will eventually pick up on me coming and going as Spider-Man, it’s too dangerous.” 

_ “Congratulations,”  _ Karen said, with as much sass as a computerised voice could muster,  _ “you actually came up with a plausible argument.” _

“Thank yo- wait, that wasn't a compliment was it?” Peter asked, suspicion causing his eyes to narrow, “you know, Karen, you’re meant to love me.” 

_ “Am I?”  _

“That was cold,” Peter said, spirits still bright as he perched on the edge of the building overlooking the river and the bridge and unwrapped his sandwich. 

No one made them like Mr. Delmar, he was so glad the community had banded together after that ATM incident and helped to restore the shop to its former glory, just… slightly newer than it had previously been. The sandwiches hadn't changed in the slightest though, and if Peter went in as Spider-Man he would get it for free, he tried not to do that too often though, it seemed unfair to poor Mr. Delmar. 

_ “You seem happy,”  _ Karen observed. 

“Yeah,” Peter said quietly, watching the skies turn orange and pink as the sun lowered in the distance, “it’s just nice, you know? To sit here and watch the city, it seems so peaceful from up here, as though there’s nothing bad going on at all.” 

_ “I’m happy for you,”  _ Karen said,  _ “although, you know, statistically-”  _

Peter stopped listening and jumped up to his feet, toes hanging over the side of the building as he stared at the scene that was unfolding before him, “no,” the word slipped out as little more than a whisper, and without anything further he dropped his sandwich and launched himself off the side of the building towards the disaster. 

The first thing he heard were screams, so many screams coming from all directions, he barely even knew where to start. 

A vehicle had veered off course on the busy bridge causing a multi-car pileup and there were hurt people everywhere, people crying, begging, pleading, screaming… 

“Focus, Spider-Man,” he told himself as he took in the carnage and tried to mentally prioritise, “Karen, call the emergency services, just… all of them.” 

“Help me! I’m going to fall!” a man shouted, and Peter looked and saw a guy clinging on with one hand to the railing along the side of the bridge, he instantly broke into a run, only to be stopped by another man yelling. 

“Spider-Man, no, please, over here!” the other man called, he was staring straight at Peter as though he were able to see through the mask. 

There were on opposite sides, both of them asking for his help. 

“Karen, I- what do I do?” he asked quickly, his brief hesitation feeling like a lifetime. 

_ “I don't know,”  _ she said. 

“Well that’s useless!” he couldn’t help but snap as he frantically looked between the two of them and realised that it was all on him, at that moment it was up to him to choose who lived and who died. 

In the end, the decision came down to just one factor; one man was gripping the railing with two hands and the other man with one. In the hopes that the man holding with two hands could hold out for longer, Peter ran away from him, hearing a choked sob as he did so. 

“Thank you, oh thank you so much, oh Spider-Man, you’re a true hero,” the man rambling in a panicked voice as Peter hauled him upwards and back onto the bridge, his body was trembling and he didn't seem to understand much of what was going on, he just seemed to realise that he had almost died, “you chose me, you saved me, I am so grateful, oh thank you, thank you, thank you!” 

“You’re welcome,” Peter choked out, hoping that it wasn't obvious that he was crying beneath the mask due to the weight of the decision that had been placed on him, and without wasting any more time he pried the man’s fingers from his arm and turned to run for the other guy. 

_ Please have held on, please, please still be-  _

The railing was empty. 

“No!” Peter’s scream was loud and caught multiple people’s attention, but he ignored them all and ran to the railings, maybe he was hanging a little lower? 

He could have lost his grip on the railing and fallen a little but caught something else in an adrenaline rush, that was possible, right? Except as he leaned over the side and stared desperately he realised that it was just wishful thinking. The waves below the bridge were choppy and smashed violently against rocks, there was no sign of anyone in the water. 

Peter had caused a person’s death. 

He had failed. 

“Spider-Man?” a hesitant voice asked, and Peter turned to see a paramedic, “are you alright?” 

“You’re here,” Peter realised, noticing the other emergency services also floating around the scene of the tragic accident, doing their part and helping people, “that’s good.” 

“Do you need help?” she asked, looking concerned. 

“A man fell over the side here,” Peter told her, “I can't see him anymore.” 

She pressed a button on her radio, “we have a man in the water, looking at the conditions it’s going to be a retrieval rather than a rescue.” 

“I’ll leave you to it,” Peter said through the lump in his throat and ran from the bridge as fast as he could, ignoring the shouts from behind. 

And that was how he found himself lying on the top of a building, the sun long gone from the sky leaving only the strange glowing darkness that always came with the city at nighttime. He couldn't bring himself to move. Yes, the top of the building was covered in uncomfortable gravel and yes, he was way past his curfew but he didn't care. 

He rejected the calls from May that were coming a mile a minute, and then the calls from Ned who had likely been asked where he was. Even Happy had tried to reach out five times, but Peter had rejected him all five. 

He didn't want to talk to anyone, they would just try to reassure him or attempt to make him feel better, but he didn't deserve that. He had let a man die, based on something so cruel and calculating as having two hands on a metal bar. Peter hadn't known his strength, how was that a fair decision basis? 

“A lot of people have been trying to reach you today,” a voice said from beside him, and  _ how  _ had he not heard those repulsors approaching? Was he really that caught up in his own mind? 

“Maybe they should take a hint,” Peter mumbled. 

There was a click and then a soft grinding as the suit opened up and Mr. Stark stepped onto the gravel, his boots crunching against it. 

“Maybe you should.” 

“What?” 

“We’re worried about you, kiddo, it’s been radio silence and for you, that’s really not normal,” Mr. Stark explained. 

“I don't want to talk,” Peter said. 

“Well, tough, because I do,” Mr. Stark decided, sitting down beside him, “and I’m Tony Stark, so come on, what happened?” 

“It doesn't matter,” Peter said. 

“Obviously it does if it’s affecting you this much,” Mr. Stark corrected him, “I saw the news, the accident on the bridge, you were there, weren't you?” 

“Yeah,” Peter mumbled, even though they both already knew he was. 

“What happened?” 

“Mr. Stark, please, I can't,” Peter said desperately. 

“Why not?” 

“You won’t think of me the same way after,” Peter admitted. 

“Kiddo, I can guarantee nothing you say is going to scare me away,” he promised and for some reason, Peter believed him. 

“Alright,” he said, “I was at the accident and it was bad, but there were two people who had somehow ended up being thrown over the side of the bridge and they were hanging onto the railings.” 

“Alright,” Mr. Stark said slowly, apparently seeing where Peter was going. 

“They were on opposite sides and I had to- had to-” 

“You had to choose.” 

“Yeah.” 

“Shit, kid…” Mr. Stark moved a little closer so their shoulders were touching. 

“I thought the guy who had two hands on the bar would be able to hold on longer, but I was wrong and-” Peter broke off with a sob.

“Peter…” Mr. Stark appeared lost for words, for once, he gently removed Peter’s mask, and to his credit, he didn't visibly recoil from the tears and snot that were revealed, “look, Kiddo, that situation you were forced into was shit, there's no other way of saying it. You should never have had to make that decision.” 

“But I did, and a man died.” 

“You were in a lose-lose situation,” Mr. Stark told him, “I don't know if there would have been a good outcome, no matter what you did.” 

“I feel so guilty,” Peter mumbled. 

“Come here,” Mr. Stark said, knowing that no words would take away the feeling.

He gently held Peter on the rooftop as the emotions became too much and he shattered into pieces. It was all fun and games running around helping people until he failed. 

“I’m so sorry,” Peter said through his sobs, “I tried, I really tried.” 

“I know,” Mr. Stark said gently, “this wasn't your fault, I promise, and I will promise you every day for as long as it takes until you start believing me.” 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading, why not check out yesterdays prompt too?? and you can find me on tumblr @[ephemeralstark](ephemeralstark.tumblr.com)


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